JAMES HARRIS

DEXTER -- James Robert Harris, 76, of Dexter died Friday, Feb. 28, 1997, at Dexter Memorial Hospital.

He was born Oct. 20, 1920, at Advance, son of Monroe Freeman and Althea Pixley Harris.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bloomfield, a 50-year member of the Bloomfield Lodge 153 AF&AM and a past master of Advance Lodge 590 AF&AM, had served on the Bloomfield City Council and was a charter member of the Bloomfield Lions Club. He was an area businessman who had a trucking business, worked for John Deere Implement Co. in Advance, owned and operated Bloomfield Tractor Sales and Implement Co., managed farms for Prather Farms in Advance and in later years ran Harris Wholesale for Harris Take Home Kentucky Fried Chicken.

In 1941, he married Ann J. Compton. She died in December 1983. On May 22, 1987, he married Helen Strenfel.

Survivors include his wife; a son, James R. Harris Jr. of Dexter; a daughter, Judith A. Allknee of Jefferson City; a stepson, Kenny Helton of Poplar Bluff; three stepdaughters, Linda Stockton of Cincinnati, and Sharon Watson and Sheila Lewis, both of Longview, Texas; a brother, Lloyd Harris of Memphis, Tenn.; three grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; and three step-great-grandchildren.

A brother and sister preceded him in death.

Visitation will be at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield from 6 to 8 p.m. today. Masonic rites will be performed at 7 by Bloomfield Lodge 153.

Funeral services will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at the funeral home, with the Revs. Mike Watkins and Greg Greason officiating. Burial will be in the Bloomfield Cemetery.